The ancient Maya calendar predicted the end of the world to be in 2012. While this doomsday prophecy might not come true, executive producer Steven Spielberg and screenwriter Robert Rodat had the foresight to produce Falling Skies. The show breaks the mold of the usual alien invasion series we see on TV, simply by taking a fresh perspective – taking the drama to another dimension after the aliens have trampled and pillaged the planet Earth. Season 2 of US cable TV’s top new series of 2011 is set to unleash an extraterrestrial invasion of apocalyptic proportions upon AXN viewers starting this November 14, 2012 at 10pm.
At the end of Season 1, history professor Tom Mason (Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominee Noah Wyle), took a leap of faith when he followed the alien invaders onto their ship; in the hopes that doing so would ensure the safety of his second son Ben (Connor Jessup, Blackbird), who had previously been captured and ‘harnessed’ by the aliens.
“I think that in a lot of ways, we have a much stronger year. We’ve gotten into a lot of deeper character issue and a lot more interesting conflict,” shares Wyle.
Season 2 picks up three months after Tom’s disappearance. Without his right- hand man Tom by his side, the commander of the resistance team 2nd
Mass, Weaver (Will Patton, Armageddon), is having doubts about his war strategies against the aliens. Tom’s eldest son, Hal (Drew Roy, Hannah Montana), continues to lead the scouts, with his brother Ben on the team. While the rest of the group harbor distrust of
Ben after his return from the aliens, Hal vouches for his credibility. Yet, the gap between the two brothers drift wider as the new, physically enhanced Ben, now has difficulty bowing to Hal’s authority.
Tom’s return from the aliens sets the tone for the season – mistrust among the resistance team against Tom and his mysterious return, stirred by Pope (Colin Cunningham, Flashpoint) and his renegade group the Berserkers; Tom’s doubts about his own allegiance to 2nd Mass’ mission, having been the only survivor to return from the mothership unscathed; and worst of all, disturbing, tell-tale signs of the ‘beamers’ (alien scouts) changing and upping the hunting game.
Through flashbacks, viewers get a glimpse into what Tom went through during those three months at the hands of the aliens. Back in the camp, Tom’s worst fears came to life when he suffers a sudden seizure, and Anne (Moon Bloodgood, Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series), a former pediatrician who now doubles up as camp doctor, extracts a swimming metallic bug from his eye.
Even in an apocalyptic world, romance survives, as we see the sparks grow between Tom and Anne, and between Hal and plucky Margaret (Sarah Carter, The Vow). Also of note is guest star Terry O’ Quinn (Lost), who joins the cast as Tom’s former mentor, Professor Arthur Manchester.
A tale of endurance, commitment and courage in which ordinary people are called upon to become heroes, Falling Skies – with the off- and on-screen magic of Spielberg, Rodat, Wyle and more – will unfold as a blockbuster saga of human’s last stand this November 14, only on AXN.
